Improvement in processes and apparatus for the manufacture of gas



. M. H. STRONG. Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas No.197,062. Patented Nov. 13,1877.

N.PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WBSHINGTON, D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MYRON H. STRONG, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LEMUEL W. SERRELL,TRUSTEE FOR SAID' STRONG, SIDNEY CORNELL, HENRY M. PIERSON, AND -WALTERE. LAWTON. I

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,062, dated November13, 1877; application filed January 24, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MYRON H. STRONG, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented an Improvement in the Manufactureof Gas, of which the following is a specification:

' The principal features of my invention relate to a compound retorthaving two vertical chambers. The first contains fire-brick or similarmaterial; the second, fuel upon afire-bed. The chambers are heated bythe combustion of the fuel, the heated products of combustion passingoff by a pipe or chimney, in which is a jet-exhauster to promote thedraft. When the chambers are sufficiently heated the escape-chimney isclosedand steam allowed to pass into the first chamber and ascendthrough the heated brick and become highly superheated. At the upperpart of the second chamber carbon is supplied either in the form of aliquid hydrocarbon or solid carbon in a pulverulent condition, in detailor gradually in small quantities. This descends in the second retort andis exposed to a high temperature, so as to become decomposed in thepresence of the superheated steam, and the gases pass through a bed ofincandescent carbon. The result is that the oxygen of the steam and thecarbon combine, liberating the hydrogen, andv the carbonic acid orcarbonic oxide and hydrogen, more or less carbureted, pass through thefire to the gas-holder. Where the condition of the gases passing throughthe fire is such that additional carbon is taken up, the illuminatingpower of the resulting gas will be increased, and if bituminous carbonis employed the gases will be of higher illuminating power. Where athird chamber is employed in the compound retort to contain carbonthrough which the gases pass, the said gases may be carbureted, so as toincrease their illuminating power.

Whenever the heat of the compound retort becomes too low to performproperly its duties, the gas-making operation is suspended and thecarbon on the fire-bed is consumed by the admission of air to the extentnecessary to thoroughly heat up the retort, after which the gas-makingoperationsare resumed.

' In the drawing, Figure 1 is avertical section of the retort complete,and Fig. 2 is an elevation of the case and tubes.

The compound retort is made with the two chambers a b, separated by thepartition 0, and the inclosure or walls d of such retorts may be in asquare or cylindrical form, preferably the former, and the whole isinclosed in a metal casing, c, with an intervening packing of ashes,fire-clay, or other non-conducting material.

The walls of the chambers are of fire-brick, and the first chamber, a,is filled with fire-bricks or similar material, and at the bottom of thesecond chamber, b, is the fire-bed f. There is a tube or chimney, g,connected with the lower part of the chamber a, and in this is thejetexhauster h, that promotes a draft through the retort when the valve1' is open.

The fuel on the fire-bed f is consumed when the exhauster h is inoperation, air being admitted by the door k, and it is preferable toadmit a second supply of air to the chambers in the upper part, wherethe chambers a and b unite.

I have shown a tube, 1, passing down to a perforated fire-till, l, asthe means for furnishing this second supply of air. There should be avalve or cook to regulate the quantity of air passing in at this pipe 1.The object of admitting air at this point is to consume any carbonicoxide present, and thus obtain the maximum heating power fi'om the fuel.The result of this construction of the retort, and the operations thusfar described, are that the chambers can be highly heated at inwrvalswhenever required.

In order to manufacture combustible gas, I close the valve 2', stop theexhauster h, and admit steam in the proper quantity by the pipe m, andthe same descends in the pipe 9 and passes up through the chamber a, andbecomes highly heated. I introduce carbon at or near the junction of thechambers a and b.- The same may be in the form of aliquid hydrocarbonfi'om a pipe, or preferably carbon in the form of finely-ground coalisintroducedthrough the hopper n in small regulated quantities by afeeding-screw, n, or otherwise, so that the carbon falls through thehighly-heated steam in detail or a shower, and in so doing it is causedto combine with the steam, there being a decomposition andrecomposition, as aforesaid, and the coke or refuse falls upon theincandescent fuel upon the fire-bed f and within the chamber b. Theresulting gases pass through the incandescent fuel, and receive anadditional quantity of carbon, as aforesaid, and are taken off by thepipe 0 to the hydraulic main, or, if it is desired to further carburetthe gas to make illuminating-gas, it is passed up throughbituminous coalsuppliedinto the third chamber 1' of the compound retort, and from therethe gas is led to the hydraulic main by the pipe 8.

I provide a hopper, t, for the supply of coal to the chamber 1", and astoke-hole or stirringhole, a, is provided to pass the fuel down fromthe chamber 1' into the chamber b.

The proper valves or covers are provided to the respective openings, andsight-holes also should be introduced, through which to inspect thecondition of the interior of the retort.

I am aware that carbon has been supplied gradually into a retort intowhich steam is admitted, and that in some instances hollow walls havebeen used to heat the steam in its passage into the retort containingcarbon.

I claim as my invention 1. The process herein specified of making gas,consisting in heating steam to a high temperature, and bringing thesteam into contact with carbonaceous material supplied gradually or indetail into a retort, and passing the two together down through theheated retort, and

then completing the process and fixing the resulting gases by passingsuch gases through a bed of incandescent carbon, substantially asspecified.

2. The compound retort with two vertical chambers, 01. b, separated by apartition-wall, c, and the whole inclosed in one casing, the retort orhaving a filling of fire-brick or similar material, in combination withmeans for supplying steam at the lower end of the chamber a, and forsupplying carbon gradually or in detail at the upper end of the chamberb, and a fire-bed at the bottom of such chamber b, substantially asspecified.

3. The retort b, having a fire-bed, f, at the bottom, thesuperheating-retort a, and the carbureting-chamber r, in combinationwith the steam-supply pipe m, the connection from the retort a to theretort b, the gradual fuel-supply apparatus at the top of the chamber b,the inclosing casing, and the gas-delivery tube connected to the'thirdchamber and the fire-bed, substantially as set forth.

4. The compound retort made with two vertical chambers, in combinationwith the firebed at the bottom of the second chamber, the air-supplypipe at the junction of the two chambers, and the chimney and exhausterconnected to the bottom of the first chamber.

Signed by me this 13th day of January, A.

MYRON H. STRONG. Witnesses:

GEo. T. PINCKNEY, CHAS. H. SMITH.

